Tube-cleaner.



A. F. FHOUSSARD.

TUBE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 23. 1914.

l ,22 Lg Patented pr.- 10, 1917.

WIT/VESSES.: 3

WML/MQ 3 nf crier.

TUBE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1U, 1217.

Application led December 23, 1914. Serial No. 878,675.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. FRoUssARD, a citizen of the United States of America, 'residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Tube-Cleaner, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.-

My invention relates to a tube cleaner, and, more particularly to a tube cleaner adapted to clean a plurality of tubes at one time. 1n my prior application, Serial No. 876,730, filed December 11, 1914i, 1 have shown a form of tube cleaner by means of which two tubes can be cleaned at the same time and which'can be adjusted to accommodate differently spaced tubes. The object of the present invention is to provide a tube cleaner in which more than two tubes can be cleaned at the same time and which will also permit of adjustment for differently spaced tubes. In the present instance, 1 have shown a cleaner adapted to clean four tubes at one time and which can be adjusted to accommodate two diiferent sizes of tubes. 1t will be understood, however, that the construction may be varied to clean a different number of tubes and to allow of a greater 'range of adjustment. i

1n the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one .form of tube cleaner made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a section taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2#2 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a section through the water distributing device; Fig. L1 is an enlarged view of one of the cleaning tools; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view showing a detail of construction; and Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line (3*6 of Fig. 1.

Like marks of reference refer to similar parts in the several views of the drawings.

1() is a base plate. Secured to the base plate 10 is a front plate 11 and rear plate 12. r1`hese plates are secured in position by screws 13 passing up through the base plate 10 and the rear plate 12 is also engaged by screws 14 passing through a iiange 15 on the said base plate 10. The tops of the plates 11 and 12 are connected by a cross bar 16 held in position by screws 17 similar to the screws Aceiving the cleaner rods 31.

13. End pieces 18 are also preferably secured to the front and rear plates 11 and 12 so as to form a casing for containing lubricant for the gearing. Centrally journaled in the plates 11 and 12 is a shaft 2O provided on its rear end with a gear wheel 21 meshing Awith a wheel 22 driven by the motor 23 which is mounted on the base plate 10. The gear wheel 21 is provided with a collar 2-1- through which passes'a set screw 25 for securing the wheel to the shaft 20. Mounted on the shaft 20 are a pair of gear wheels 26 and 27, the gear wheel 26 being somewhat larger in diameter than the wheel 27, as best shown in Fig. 2. rThe front plate 11 is pro vided with a recess 23 adapted to contain the gear wheel 27 when the device is adjusted for one size of tubes, and the plate 12 is provided with a recess 29 for containing the gear wheel 26 when the device is adjusted for a different sized tube. Formed. in the plates 11 and 12 are radial slots 30 for re- Each of the cleaner rods 31 has secured to it a gear wheel 32 adapted to engage either with the gear wheel 26 or the gear wheel 27. The cleaner rods 31 are preferably mounted in bearings 33 and 3-1, the bearings 33 being arranged in the slots in the front plate 11 and the bearings 34 being arranged in the slots in the rear plate 12. Each of the bearings 341- is provided with a flange 35 which takes the thrust of the cleaner rods and said bearing is closed at its end and contains a pair of members 3G and 37 forming ball races and having arranged between them balls 38 for supplying a thrust bearing for the tool shafts 31. Filling'piecesv 39 are arranged in the slots 30 and are preferably held in position by means of the screws 13 and 17. 1t will bel evident that by changing the iilling pieces from one side to the other of the bearings, the rods may be readily adjusted. When the rods are in their inner position, the slots 32 are in engagement with the wheel 37, as shown in Fig. 1. When, however, it is desired to adjust the machine for a large sized tube,

the filling pieces 39 are shifted to the oppowheel 32. This is accomplished by loosening the set screw 25 in the collar 24: and a set screw 40 1n a collar l1 on the opposite end of f sliding in a central the shaft 20. After the adjustment has been made, the set screws 25 and 40 areagain tightened to hold the parts in position.

Each of the rods 31 is secured to a hollow rod 45 by means of a cross pin 46 and spring detent 47 which is similar to the construction shown inV my prior application above referred to. These hollow rods 45 pass through a. water distributing device, shown in detail in Fig. 3. The water distributing' device consists of four tubes 44, each provided at each end with a stuffing box 43 and having an inwardly projecting tube 48 piece 49. This central piece 49 is provided with stufiing boxes 50 to secure water tight joints with the tubes 48. Water is supplied to the central part 49 by a tube 51 (Fig. l) which is held in a bracket 52 extending forwardly from the base plate 10. The set screw v53 serves to hold the pipe 5l in position.V Water is supplied to the pipe 5l through tubes 54.

It will be evident that when the cleaner rods are iadjusted to accommodate different sized tubes, the hollow stems 48 will slide in the stufhng boxes 50 and thus allow the Water distributing device to accommodate itself to the changed position of the cleaner rods.

In Figs. 4 and 6, I have shown ay form of cleaning tool which I prefer to use in connection with my device. he tool consists of a body .portion 55 having a pair of cutting blades 56 and aA pair of rolls 57 which are provided with fine teeth. These rolls 57 are journaled in the head 58 of the cutting deviceV and in a collar 59 surrounding thebody portion 55. The read end of this bodyv portion projects into the end of the rod 45 and is secured in position by a cross pin 60. The end of the rod 45, thus serves Vto hold the collar 59 in position and thus retains the toothed rolls 57. By using both the cutting blades 56 and the rolls 57, a coinybined cutting and rolling action is obtained which readily removes the scales. The water which is delivered by the tubes 54 is dis tributed through an orifice 61 adjacent to the cutting tool.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States is:

l. In a. tube cleaner, the combination with a driving shaft, of cleaner rods, means for adjusting said cleaner rods toward and away 'in the length of the from said driving shaft, and gearing for driving said cleaner rods from said driving shaft.

2. In a tube cleaner, the combination with a driving shaft, of a plurality of cleaner rods arranged around said shaft and each adapted to enter a different tube, means for adjusting said rods radially toward and away from said driving shaft, and gearing communicating the movement from said driving shaft to said cleaner rods.

3. In a tube cleaner, the combination with a driving shaft, of a plurality of cleaner rods arranged around said driving shaft, means for adjusting said rods radially toward and away from said shaft, and a water distributing device, said device being provided with arms radially adjustable and communicating with said cleaner rods.

4. In a tube cleaner, the combination with a driving shaft, of a cleaner rod, one of said parts being provided with a plurality of gear wheels, means for shifting one of said parts longitudinally, a gear wheel on the other of said parts, and means for varying the distance between said parts.

5. In a tube cleaner, the combination with a driving shaft, of a plurality of cleaner rods, each being provided with a gear wheel, a plurality of gear wheels on said driving shaft, means for shifting said driving shaft longitudinally, and means for adjusting said cleaning rods toward and away from said driving shaft.

6. A tool for tube cleaners comprising a toothed roll and a scraping blade, said roll and blade being arranged at the same point tool, whereby when said tool is rotated said roll and blade will alternately act on the same portion of the tube.

7. A tool for tube cleaners comprising a plurality of toothed rolls, and a plurality of scraping blades, said rolls and blades heilig alternately arranged at the same point in the length of the tool, whereby when said tool lis rotated said rolls and blades will alternately act on the same portion of the tube.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and aflixed my seal in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT F. FROUSSARD. [1.. s]

Witnesses W. A. ALEXANDER, G. M. SHORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C. 

